Two kids from Brooklyn
by MerlinOfTheShire
Summary: Radiation from the S.H.I.E.L.D carriers causes Steve to slowly revert back to his own skinny self. Bucky suddenly remembers everything all at once...Will all the memory be too much for Bucky? Will Steve be ok? More importantly...will they both be ok...? A/N Pre-serum Steve and an appearance from Tony Stark.


**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**A/N**

**Sorry about the editing.**

**Also Bucky remembering everything at once is highly improbable and unlikely to happen but I couldn't help myself.**

**BUT**

**I wrote this anyway.**

Steve struggled to keep his eyes open as he tried desperately to reason with his friend. "I'm your friend," Steve said in pain as the winter soldier's cold, metal fist collided with his face once more. He felt his chest hitch up as he breathed in the smoke and gas that filled the air.

As Bucky went to raise his fist again but couldn't help but notice how uneven the captain's breathing was becoming. He seemed to be struggling to breath. This confused Bucky, he was breathing through the smoke reasonably well before…

"_Just breathe Steve," He said calmly, a hand residing on the smaller persons back as he coughed violently._

Bucky frowned in confusion as more images of the smaller guy flashed through his mind. He looked down at the captain and compared his face to that of the smaller kid...Steve. Bucky's eyes widened as he stared…was this the same person? _Steve._ The name seemed familiar but he couldn't figure out why.

"_He keeps remembering stuff, this can't continue. We have to think of something more…effective," A cold voice says._

The reminder of electricity tearing through his brain causes Bucky's eyes to widen in panic. _I remember too much…they will make me forget. _Bucky thinks to himself. The word _mission _burned painfully in Bucky's mind as he prepared to slam his metal fist into the Captain's face once more.

"You're my mission," Bucky said as his fist yet again collided with the Captains face, this time leaving Steve's right eye looking horribly like a swollen tomato. He also appeared to be growing weaker and to Bucky's surprise he appeared to be…shrinking…

More images of the small blond kid passed through Bucky's head.

_"You don't have to keep helping me buck," The smaller boy said as the brunette helped him to his feet._

_"Yea I do, it's my mission to make sure you don't end up getting beaten to death by some idiot who thinks he's better then you, I promise," The brunette said as he slung an arm round the smaller guy's shoulders._

Bucky couldn't help but compare the smaller boy to…Steve again. They had the same hair, kind blue eyes and tendency to never back down from a fight...until now…

The other boy looked strangely like Bucky himself, not that Bucky really knew what he looked like. He had gotten a quick glance at himself in the reflection of the cryo-tube before he was frozen in time for another few years.

Bucky pushed the images aside and raised his fist for the final time; Bucky knew Steve wouldn't be able to take another punch in the state he was in…this was his chance…he could finish it…

"Then finish it…," Steve mumbled and Bucky briefly wondered if Steve could read minds, "Because I'm with you to the end of the line." Steve finished with a raspy breath as he continued to shrink.

Bucky's fist remained frozen in the air, his eyes growing wide, half in horror and half in surprise…

Bucky almost forgot to breathe as more memory of Steve and himself filled his mind, Bucky stoping a bunch of school yard bullies from beating up Steve…Bucky trying to get Steve to dance…Bucky comforting Steve at his mother's funeral…Bucky leaving for the 107…Steve rescuing Bucky from Hydra…

He had been in the hands of Hydra before…

One clear message burned the brightest in Bucky's racing thoughts. He was the taller brunette haired kid, and Steve was the smaller kid. He knew him. He _was _Bucky.

"Bucky...," Steve mumbled as he eyed Bucky who was currently living up to his name as the winter soldier. Bucky was frozen in his current position, mouth slowly agape, as memory swirled inside his mind.

He remembered everything. Every last scrap of memory of himself and Steve passed through his mind. His life was literally flashing before his eyes. He was no longer the winter soldier…he was Bucky.

"Bucky I need you to move your hand or were going to fall off the," Steve didn't get finish as he was suddenly interrupted by a gut wrenching scream and a sudden weight on his chest. Bucky had collapsed in shock on Steve.

"Bucky…," Steve whispered in concern as he struggled to win the fight over unconsciousness and the pain on his chest. He was certain his rips were going to crack under the weight…_strange_…

"I remember, Steve," Bucky cried as his grip on Steve's shoulder loosened self-consciously as he struggled to breath.

"That's good Buck…," Steve whispered before he suddenly fell to the same fate as his shield.

Bucky gave out a silent cry as he watched Steve's body disappear into the murky water below. Tears fogged his eyes as he let go of the metal that was keeping him from falling. He hadn't even meant to grab onto it…years of programming can do that to a guy.

Without even thinking he let go. As he fell he tried not to think about what he had almost done…he was going to kill Steve…he even wanted to…

Disgusted with himself, Bucky set his mind to focus on looking for Steve; there was no way that Steve would be able to resurface by himself.

As soon as he collided with the cold water he swam down, arms out, reaching for Steve. Bucky's eyes fought to close as they tried to see through the dirty water. He would find Steve; he would not fail his mission that he had promised all those years ago in a lonely ally way in the streets of Brooklyn.

Then he saw him, sinking like a rock. Bucky reached out with his flesh arm, afraid the metal arm would crush the smaller body. Once his fist had a firm grip on Steve's skinny arm he swam upwards. Bucky couldn't see the sun through all the dirt in the water…he wasn't even sure he was swimming up…he was losing consciousness himself now….Bucky didn't care though; he had to get Steve to safety.

Bucky's head resurfaced with a gasp, followed by Steve's unconscious head. Bucky wasted no time in pulling the limp body to land

Bucky stared at the small body, now drenched in water, before falling to his knees as he struggled to breath. Steve was breathing…that Bucky knew…

"Steve…I'm so sorry…," Bucky sobbed as he pulled the smaller body to his chest with his right arm…so afraid that the left one would indeed crush Steve. He couldn't believe that he had done all that….killed all those people….almost killing others….including Steve….

As Bucky sobbed he tried to convince himself that it wasn't him that had done all that…it was the winter soldier…not him…maybe it was actually just a really bad dream that he was yet to wake up from.

"I failed you Steve," Bucky cried as he sobbed into Steve's hair, rocking back in forth.

And that's how Sam and Natasha found them….Bucky holding Steve to his chest as he sobbed into his hair…

_1 week later…_

Steve's eyes fluttered before closing quickly from the blinding light the room around him…

"Oh god…not again…," Steve mumbled as he tried to focus his eyes on his surroundings. The walls were coated in American flags and hand drawn pictures…Steve could make out some of the words like… _Get well soon_ … _Thank you Captain America. _There was even a teddy bear or two. But what caught his attention the most was the high tech looking stuff … He couldn't of been frozen in time again…there was no way….

"Jarvis dim the lights would you," A familiar voice said from somewhere in the room.

"Right away sir," A British sounding voice answered from within the walls.

Once the lights dimmed Steve could tell who was in the room; Tony Stark, who was currently sitting in the chair across from Steve's bed, head down and fiddling with one of the flags.

"So…I'm still in the same century...?" Steve asked as his eyes took in the high tech stuff showing his vitals on screen…

"Yea…you didn't go capsical again, promise. You've been out for a week though…," Tony said as lifted his head for a brief moment to skim over his vitals.

"Why do I feel...smaller?" Steve asked quietly as he became more aware of himself and how little space he was taking up in the bed.

Steve watched as Tony stopped fiddling with the spangled flag and lifted his head to make eye contact with Steve.

"Well when you took down the S.H.I.E.L.D carriers…," Tony started.

Steve could swear he saw a hint of sympathy in Tony's eyes as he continued to speak.

"The radiation that the carriers were giving off caused you to revert to your original size…," Tony mumbled…staring at his feet.

"So…I'm small again…?" Steve asked softly as he stared at his skinny arms.

"Yea cap…I'm sorry…you also have all your previous…ah health issues again, such as asthma…" Tony mumbled….not a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Steve took a moment to take it all in.

"How did I get here?" Steve asked, trying to change the subject. "I thought I drowned….thought I would have drowned…," Steve mumbled as he stared out the window as to confirm that it was in fact the same century and not some cruel trick.

"Your Winter Soldier buddy pulled you out and brought you here…with Natasha and Sam of course, who actually found you,"Tony didn't get to finish as he was suddenly interrupted.

"Bucky was here!?" Steve asked as he tried to push himself up of the bed.

"Whoa there Steve...," Tony said as he sat Steve back down. "Yeah he was here…He hasn't left your side this whole week….until about an hour ago when I told him to get some rest,"

"He was here all week...," Steve questioned, slightly concerned that Bucky had gone a week without sleep…

"Yea…kept mumbling things…trying to get you to wake up I think…," Tony confirmed as he once again fiddled with the flag.

"Bucky said…he said he remembered everything…," Steve mumbled.

"Yea he does…everything…I don't know if he is the same as before…my dad only mentioned him once or twice so I don't really know…," Tony confirmed, looking slightly uncomfortable about talking about his dad.

"Can I see," Steve started, only to be interrupted by a rather tired looking Bucky bursting through the doors with wide eyes.

"You're not going to kiss or anything right?" Tony asked sarcastically as he looked between the two. "I really don't want to see," Tony began … Steve's glare was enough to silence him.

"I'll just leave you two to uh…talk then...," Tony said as he slipped outside the spangled room.

"Bucky…," Steve whispered as he looked over to Bucky.

Bucky's hair was a mess, an inch longer then last time. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans and some sort of black Sabbath t shirt…probably Tony's…

"Steve…," Bucky mumbled as he stared at his feet.

"Bucky come sit down…," Steve said as he gestured to the now empty chair next to his bed.

"Glad to see you awake…," Bucky mumbled as he went back to staring at his feet.

"Thanks...you don't look to great yourself though," Steve said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.

"You look smaller…," Bucky said as he tried to force a smile…

"Yea…I am. Tony said…he said that you said you remembered...," Steve said softly.

Bucky suddenly broke down. "I'm so sorry Steve…I tried to kill you…and I wanted to…I actually wanted to…..I could of killed you….and now your_…_your smaller….and oh god I tried to kill you…I failed you…," Bucky said as he buried his head in his hands as he let out a muffled cry.

"Bucky, come here…," Steve said as he pushed himself up and opened his skinny arms invitingly.

Buck made no sign of movement and just continued to shake. Steve frowned in concern before moving to place a gentle hand on Bucky's left shoulder.

"NO! No…don't touch me… Im not Bucky. I have his memories but I'm not him. I don't know how to be him. I only know how to be…this," Bucky cried as he gestured to his bionic arm.

"I don't want you to pretend to be him. I just want you to be you, whoever that turn out to be," Steve said softly as he lifted Bucky's chin so he was facing him.

Bucky's eyes were red and puffy from all the crying. Steve saw his eyes flicker away from him so he was avoiding eye contact.

"Bucky look at me," Steve said gently as he waited for Bucky to return the gaze. Bucky's eyes flickered back to Steve's after a few moments.

"I trust you Bucky…and don't let anyone or anything tells you otherwise," Steve said firmly as he kept his eyes glued to Bucky's. "For the record, your more like your old self then you realise," Steve reassured.

Bucky gave a small nod before slowly leaning forward so Steve could wrap his skinny arms around Bucky's still shaking body.

"You haven't failed me at all Bucky…in fact I'm proud of you if anything," Steve said as he rubbed Bucky's back soothingly.

"What do you mean?" Bucky asked as in a shaky voice.

"You remembered," Steve answered softly.

"Steve…I'm sorry about the super serum wearing off…," Bucky mumbled.

"It's ok…it means you have to look out for me again….Just like old times," Steve whispered as he absentmindedly ran his fingers through Bucky's hair.

"Punk."

"Jerk."


End file.
